


An American Bobtail In Paris

by scapegoat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste & Félix are Twins, Adrien Agreste Is Not Chat Noir, Aged-Up Character(s), Akuma Possession Side Effects (Miraculous Ladybug), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Project MC2 Fusion, Alternate Universe - Totally Spies Fusion, Alya Césaire Appreciation, Alya Césaire Is The Best, Anti-Villains, Chat Noir Alya Césaire, Clumsy Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Gabriel Agreste Is Not Hawk Moth, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Kwami & Miraculous Lore, Kwami Swap, Kwamis Are Gods, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Themes, Lost Miraculous (Miraculous Ladybug), Magical Artifacts, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Speaks Chinese, Max Kanté's Inventions, Miraculous Side Effects, Morally Ambiguous Character, Multilingual Character, NOV8 (Project MC2), Original Kwamis, Original Miraculous Jewels, Secret Identity, Spies & Secret Agents, Tiger Kagami Tsurugi, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Vigilantism, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:00:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29917962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scapegoat/pseuds/scapegoat
Summary: Fù Wáng has searched the globe for the Miraculouses he lost and has come up empty. To ensure the world’s delicate magical balance stays intact, Fù must do whatever he can to assure the lost Miraculouses are returned to him.To assist with his task, he has activated the ladybug Miraculous. Should any of his lost Miraculouses be activated as well, Fù will be prepared. After all, the best way to combat the power of a Miraculous is with the power of a Miraculous.
Relationships: Alya Césaire & Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Master Fu/Marianne Lenoir, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Kudos: 4





	An American Bobtail In Paris

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, Totally Spies, or Project MC2; nor do I make money from writing fanfiction. To be clear, this is Miraculous Ladybug with elements from both Project MC2 and Totally Spies so none of the characters from any of those shows will be appearing.
> 
> A/N:  
> -I hate the tiger’s Miraculous so it’s changed to something else; I am also changing the whatever Orikko's Miraculous is.  
> -François Düpont is a university; Marinette (and everyone else, I guess) attended a different collège and lycèe.  
> -Once again, Sabine & Tom Boulangerie Pâtissèrie exists in the 21st arrondissement of Paris. François Düpont is also there since it’s the next block over from the boulangerie pâtissèrie.  
> -Once again Nooroo is the kwami of emotion

_Paris, France  
December 29th, 2020_

  
Audrey Bourgeois pulls open the double doors of the penthouse suite of her hotel, Le Grand Paris Château, then walks inside. Once she takes several steps inside, she checks the heels of her shoes. Hmm. No dirt. Good.

  
She didn’t return home after fourteen months of her international fashion tour of the twelve fashion capitals of the world just to come home to a dirty carpeted floor.

  
“Mme. Audrey...?” The blonde looks over her shoulder at the bellhop, “where do you want your luggage?”

  
“The master bedroom, obviously. Of all the utterly ridiculous questions...” She huffs. “The ivory double doors with the mahogany knobs? You can’t miss it.” As Audrey looks around the suite, the bellhops bringing in her luggage on the luggage carriers. “Do be careful with those. They’re worth more than your annual salary.” Lifting her sunglasses from her eyes, Audrey takes her phone out of her purse. Thirteen missed calls from André. She rolls her eyes then puts her phone back in her purse. If he wanted to talk to her, he’d be here.

  
Hm. Speaking of _here_ , Audrey walks down the suite to the last bedroom at the end of the suite. Her daughter, in her pyjamas, is dancing and singing along (slightly off-key) to some generic upbeat song. Great. That’ll be an earworm for the foreseeable future.

  
Audrey knocks on the door and her daughter whirls around to face her. “Maman!” She screams then runs over to the radio and lowers the volume. “I—”

  
Audrey holds up a hand, “it’s...” She glances at the time on the clock radio, “10:42am on a Tuesday. What _possible_ reason do you have for wearing polkadotted pajamas and looking so... _utterly unkempt_?”

  
“I just woke up.”

  
“You— _That’s hardly an excuse_! You never know who will just... _show up_! You are so very lucky that _I’m_ the one who caught you looking like _this_ and not the paparazzi. And what is with this wallpaper? Why is everything _polkadotted_?” Her daughter opens her mouth but Audrey holds up a hand, “no. Don’t answer that now. Go make yourself presentable right this second!” Her daughter blinks at her and Audrey points toward the bathroom, “ _now_!” The girl flinches then scurries to the bathroom. Audrey massages her temples. “I need a drink.”

  
As she goes to the bar to fix herself a drink, her phone starts to ring. Sighing, she takes it out of her purse. Her expression brightens when she sees the caller isn’t André. She accepts the video call and Émilie’s face pops up. “Hi! Listen, I know you’re probably super busy, but I need serious help picking out my New Year’s Eve dress.”

  
“I’m the furthest thing from busy Ém, I just caught my adult daughter prancing around in cartoony polkadotted pyjamas.”

  
“You...” Émilie furrows her eyebrows, “you’re back in Paris?!”

  
“Just arrived not even half an hour ago and I’m already reaching for the cognac. I swear I hate helicopters.”

  
“ _I_ have cognac! Come by the manor and help style me up, Style Queen. Bring Chloé too.”

  
“If I must.” Once her daughter is dressed to Audrey’s standard, they take the elevator. Exiting the elevator, Audrey sees her chef de cuisine walking toward the hotel’s exit. Just where in the hell is she going at this time of day? Normally, Audrey would never go out of her way to do anything, but once she both heard of Marlena Césaire and tasted her cooking, she personally sought the woman out and offered her the chef de cuisine position. In just three short months since her hiring, the hotel’s restaurant received its first Michelin Star.

  
Audrey wasn’t getting rid of her if she could help it. The woman was a keeper; it was no wonder why she was married for over thirty years.

  
The door-attendant greets them as he opens the door. Émilie sent them a car because of course she did. Out the corner of her eye, Audrey sees a very familiar motorcycle pull up to the curb. Marlena hugs the motorcyclist as she’s taking her helmet off.

  
Not only is Marlena’s name famous but her eldest daughter, Nora, is a professional kickboxer.

  
That is reason number two why Audrey would never fire Marlena Césaire.

  
Émilie’s mute chauffeur nods his head in greeting as they get in the car. Audrey sees Nora hand Marlena the helmet as the towncar drives off. As Audrey looks around, she sees _everything_ is polkadotted. “Chloé.” Her daughter gives a distracted hum in response. “Maybe I’ve... missed something being away. Do tell me what’s with all the polkadots?”

  
“They’re for Vermilion Bug. Today is six months exactly since she first appeared. Police haven’t been too happy since she’s basically doing their jobs, but nobody else has any complaints. She does everything from stop robbers to help old people across the street. She’s positively, utterly incredible.”

  
“Sounds like you developed one hell of a crush on this... Vermilion Bug.”

  
“Who hasn’t?” Chloé’s shoes, dress, hair tie, sunglasses, nails, hell even her phone case are all polkadotted. That explains the polkadotted wallpaper all over her room and the pyjamas.

  
“Show me a picture.” No surprise that Chloé’s lock screen wallpaper is of this “Vermilion Bug.” It’s a girl wearing a polkadotted domino mask over the top half of her face. Her hair is black with red highlights styled in double buns, and her bangs are just above her closed eyes. The outfit is a ladybug-themed catsuit with all-black thigh-high boots. She has a yo-yo tied around her waist. Minimalistic but effective. Audrey can see the appeal.

  
When they arrive at the Graham de Vanily manor, the chauffeur opens the door. Standing in the doorway is Émilie Graham de Vanily with her arms opened wide. “Audrey! It’s been far too long!”

  
Audrey fondly rolls her eyes as she walks into the embrace.

  
Stepping back, Audrey notices Émilie is wearing a polkadotted scarf around her neck. “ _You’re_ into this... Vermilion Bug as well?”

  
“I have to be!” She begins as they enter the manor. “She saved my bank account. _And my son_! Would-be kidnappers hijacked the towncar I sent for Adrien to attend one of his shoots and if it weren’t for Vermilion Bug I’d no longer be the richest woman in Paris. Let’s just leave it at that. Naturally ever since, Adrien has the cutest crush on the hero! He even begged me to enroll him in François Düpont University so he can ‘engage’ with other fans.”

  
“Tante Émilie the only fans Adrikins will encounter at François Düpont are his own. They have a fanclub dedicated to him. The only fanclub bigger than his is the one they started up for Vermilion Bug.”

  
“I say you allow him to enroll anyhow. You have to let the boys live their own lives, Émilie. You can’t keep them caged forever. Gabriel was the biggest recluse who ever lived and he still caught sick and died.”

  
“There is a bright side to letting Adrikins and Fé enroll at François Düpont. I’m there, so I can keep an eye on them.”

  
“Plus the headmaster is living rent-free in André’s back pocket.”

  
Émilie takes a deep breath, “alright. Tell me more about this school so I can prepare.”

  
🐞

  
“...I don’t get it, Nadja. _Everyone_ is raving over Vermilion Bug – with good reason, don’t get me wrong, but why isn’t anyone talking about Húdié? And I hope to God I pronounced that right. I mean, the crime rate in the city has been at an all-time low thanks to their joint effort. Húdié powers up ordinary civilians and lets them be temporary superheroes for a bit. I mean, come on Paris! Give Húdié some love!”

  
“Do you think Húdié is responsible for Vermilion Bug, Alec?”

  
“That’s the thing. I don’t know! Her powers definitely don’t come from an akuma, as we know akuma powers are temporary. Plus, as we all know, Vermilion Bug showed up about a month after Húdié did.”

  
“Naturally, citizens were _terrified_ when a ...swarm—”

  
“Kaleidoscope.”

  
“— _really_?” Alec nods, “wow. When a _kaleidoscope_ of butterflies just appeared in the sky and Húdié proclaimed he came in peace and was looking for a magical artifact. It was surreal, let me tell you. My daughter Manon has not stopped talking about how she saw butterflies group together to form Húdié’s face.”

  
“As always with our Miraculous watch, we remind you: If you find the Miraculous of the cat, tiger, or rooster – you will be handsomely rewarded.” Alec pauses, “ever wonder why they say _handsomely_ and not _beautifully_?”

  
“Well, I’m wondering that _now_.” Alec gives a shrug and smile as the burgundy-haired woman sighs. “Now our question of the day comes from self-proclaimed number one fan of Vermilion Bug, M. Adrien Graham de Vanily who was saved by our very own superhero two months ago.”

  
“It would not have made a good Halloween for the Graham de Vanily family, I can assure you.”

  
“For those of you who do not know, in the holiday festivities, M. Graham de Vanily’s towncar was hijacked by masked would-be kidnappers. Vermilion Bug must’ve seen something out of the ordinary and she pounced!”

  
“This a reminder that ladybugs _are_ natural predators.”

  
Nadja nods along. “M. Graham de Vanily could be exaggerating as no one has gotten an interview from Vermilion Bug yet, but he stated – during _our_ interview with him – that Vermilion Bug effortlessly took out six large men.”

  
“You’d call BS, right? But just two days ago, Mlle. Vermilion Bug took down four _armed_ robbers. And I’m fairly certain one was part cyclops. Or a troll mayhaps? Look, the guy was _big_! Alright. And we all saw that _live_!”

  
“We got off topic. M. Graham de Vanily writes... ‘I know superhero secret identities are crucial and, well, secret, but do you ever wonder if you’ve met Vermilion Bug’s secret identity in person? Do you think you’d be able to spot Vermilion Bug in a crowd?’”

  
“I will start off by saying that is two questions, M. Graham de Vanily. Nevertheless, what do you think, Nadja?”

  
“I’m gonna say yes.”

  
Alec hums, “are you?”

  
Nadja nods, “obviously, you won’t _know_ she’s Vermilion Bug, but I’m certain she has the type of personality that stands out.”

  
“Ah. I get ya. I’m gonna have to agree with you based on that. I think there’s no way you’d know Vermilion Bug’s secret identity just by looking at every young woman in Paris. But I think she’d be a subtle badass, you know? Someone who helps out all the time sort of secret like?” A bell chimes, “aww. I was getting into that question. Our time is up sadly.”

  
“Join us tomorrow for testimonies from people Vermilion Bug has saved as we continue to celebrate our hero’s six-month arrival in Paris all week. I’m Nadja Chamack.”

  
“I’m Alec Cataldi.”

  
“This has been Miraculous Watch.” They say waving at the camera.

  
🐞

  
Inside Sabine & Tom Boulangerie Pâtissèrie, Tom Dupain sighs in relief leaning against the counter, “I think we’re good.” He pants. The last customer exits the boulangerie pâtissèrie happily holding onto their purchase. “I have never seen such a calm mob in my twenty-plus years in the food industry.”

  
His wife Sabine nods in agreement wiping her hands with a rag. “It’s the city’s love for Vermilion Bug.”

  
“To think, we have our own little guardian angel! Two, if you include Húdié.” Tom nods to himself. “Do you think the Graham de Vanily’s went a bit... overboard with the croquembouche head of Vermilion Bug?”

  
“Overboard is an understatement, Tom.” Sabine and Tom both eye the large box on the counter. It was an all-day project they managed to do while squeezing all the other celebratory items; all ladybug-themed.

  
The bell chimes and Adrien Graham de Vanily excitedly walks in. “Afternoon M. Dupain, Mme. Cheng.” He gasps then points at the box, “i-is that—?” The pâtissèries both nod. “I can’t wait to see it! It’s probably the next best thing to having Vermilion Bug in person.”

  
“Then maybe you should’ve ordered—”

  
Sabine elbows her husband, “do you need help moving the box?”

  
“Oh! Yes, please.” Both Tom and Sabine help Adrien carry the box outside of the boulangerie pâtissèrie and onto the passenger’s side seat of the blond’s red Bugatti. “Thank you so much. Mère, Félix, and I will be counting on your services again for New Year’s, if that’s alright?”

  
“It’s more than alright, provided it isn’t completely last minute.”

  
Wincing, Adrien rubs the back of his neck. “My brother and I were having difficulties agreeing on what we wanted. He wanted a whole sculpture of Vermilion Bug and I thought that might be a bit much so I just wanted a bust of her... but thought that might be a bit perverse?” He gives a helpless shrug. “Eventually, we just settled on the head. _Oh_! Right. Payment.” He digs into his pocket and pulls out a check, unfolding it before handing it to Tom. “This should cover it, right?”

  
“Sweet Chinese Dumplings!” Tom exclaims, “d-do you see this?” With her jaw dropped, Sabine nods slowly. “You... You put _too many zeroes on this_!”

  
Adrien leans forward and looks at the check, “no I didn’t. You said it was 50,000€, right?”

  
“Is that what you heard?!! I said _500_ _€_! And even if we said ... _that_ , you paid 500,000€! What kind of custom order anything is that much money?!”

  
“Mère paid 600,000€ for a lifesize self-portrait.” He replies with a shrug.

  
Sabine elbows her husband, “rich people don’t know how to shop.” She whispers and Tom nods in agreement. “Look, as much as it physically pains me to say because this could just set our daughter up for life—” She shakes her head, “—that’s not important. What I’m trying to say is, we cannot accept this much money.”

  
“You... can't? I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize there was such a thing as _paying too much_. Let me fix it!” He takes his checkbook out of his pocket then hastily scrawls on it before tearing it out of the book and handing it to Tom. “Better?”

  
“Why—”

  
Sabine nudges him. “It’s fine. Thank you, M. Graham de Vanily.”

  
“Just Adrien is fine, and I should be thanking _you_. You’ve done so much in such a short amount of time it’s only fair I pay you guys double for the rush job. Oh! I should’ve added more for New Year’s—”

  
“Your icing is gonna melt.”

  
Adrien gasps, “oh my gosh! Thank you! Thank you!” He shakes both their hands. “Until next time.” He takes the keys out of his pocket then gets in the driver’s seat. He waves before driving off.

  
The blond sighs lovingly as he sees Vermilion Bug swing past.

  
🐞

  
Thanks to Marlena Césaire’s phenomenal cooking, Le Grand Paris Château is _the_ hotel to visit in Paris, France.

  
It beat the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile for the first time since Le Grand Paris’ opening forty years ago.

  
The fact that the hotel is owned by The International Queen of Fashion, Audrey Bourgeois, is a bonus to some. Tomoe Tsurugi cares nothing of fashion but she has followed Marlena Césaire’s career and has always wanted to try her cooking. If she has to be in Paris, why not be where she can accomplish that goal?

  
Tomoe elegantly and effortlessly exits the cab, probing cane out in front of her giving her wide berth; Tomoe doesn’t even hear her daughter, Kagami, take one step out of the cab before she hears her hisses in pain. Tomoe stills, eyebrows furrowing. “What happened?”

  
Kagami lifts her foot and looks at the gold and black striped looped pin stuck in the sole of her shoe. “I stepped on something.”

  
“Bad omen,” Tomoe mutters.

  
The second the tip of Kagami’s finger touches the pin to remove it from her shoe, there’s a bright purplish light that shoots out. Before her very eyes, the light takes shape. When the light dissipates, a small purplish tiger rises from the ground and floats up to Kagami’s face staring her in the eye.

  
They blink at each other before Kagami, now holding onto the pin, puts her foot down then walks around the tiger and follows after her mother. “You know...” Because why wouldn’t it talk? ...or float?, “not the typical reaction I get.” Kagami looks over her shoulder seeing the cab driver rubbing at his eyes staring in her direction.

  
“What _are_ you?” Kagami hisses. Her mother had already walked on ahead.

  
“I’m a kwami,” It pauses, “ _your_ kwami. Name’s Roaar. I have the power of camouflage.” Kagami squints at Roaar, “I’m magic.” Kagami makes a disbelieving face, “don’t believe me? Put the earring on and say _Roaar, let’s hunt_.” The “earring” almost looks like an arm. Kagami puts the earring in her ear but it doesn’t feel right. “It’s a cartilage earring. You have to put it on the top of your ear.”

  
“Of course I do.” Fortunately, the earring has a clamp so Kagami just attaches that to her ear for the time being.

  
Kagami attaches the earring to her left ear, then puts her hair over her ear and walks into the hotel. Roaar flies into her jacket. The receptionist is a sweaty, balding, middle-aged white man who is blotting his red face with a thick cloth. “—I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Mme. Tsurugi. We will get to the bottom of this mix up.”

  
“It’s the least you can do.” Tomoe hisses and the man flinches.

  
“P-Please enjoy your stay.”

  
Tomoe harrumphs then a bellhop walks beside the woman. Kagami dutifully follows behind her mother watching the older gentleman almost desperately punch codes into whatever is in front of him. “Your services are no longer needed,” Tomoe says once the bellhop opens their hotel room. “Kagami, get the key. And if any of my luggage is missing, I will sue your boss.”

  
“O-Of course, Mademoiselle.”

  
“Thank you.” Kagami inclines her head as the bellhop drops the keycard in her hands.

  
“What terrible ‘accommodations’ are we in for?”

  
Kagami looks around the hotel suite with Roaar just relaxing on her shoulder, swapping shoulders whenever she moves in her mother’s direction, “a full kitchenette, two beds, a jacuzzi in the bathtub, a desk, a walk-in closet, and a loveseat.”

  
Tomoe scoffs, “pitiful. They call this one of their best rooms? There better be a damn good reason why I flew all the way over here.”

  
“Okaasan, I will be in the restroom should you need me.”

  
Tomoe waves her away. Kagami inclines her head before walking to the bathroom. Closing the door, Kagami leans her head against the door. “Roaar, let’s hunt.” She whispers. She _feels_ the kwami fly into the earring; almost like it flew into her. Before her eyes, her body begins to glow a soft maroonish color then a catsuit forms over her body.

  
There are purple stripes all throughout her outfit. The bottom of her boots look like little paws.

  
Her eyes are now yellow and her pupils are slit. Her obviously magically enhanced hair is spiked up in a ponytail look like a tiger’s paw; it’s also been colored a dark purple. She looks at her reflection in the mirror. There’s a crossbow and quiver attached to her back. The domino mask is covering her ears yet the earring is visible, above the domino mask. And with her hairstyle, it’s practically in plain sight.

  
Not that she was expecting this, but she should have let Roaar explained how to... undo this. If Roaar is in the earring, it stands to reason without wearing the earring the transformation will break.

  
Kagami decides to test that theory, only the earring – which she realized is now a full-blown tiger hanging on where her ear would be – is more difficult to come off then you’d think.

  
This is far from the type of magic she’s used to.

  
Before she can try and think of a way out of this Roaar shoots out of the blinking earring ricocheting to the wall and Kagami catches the kwami before they can crash into anything else. “What happened?”

  
Roaar groans, “went too long without eating. I don’t know how long I was just... there before you found me.”

  
“You _eat_?” Roaar nods, “ _what_ do you eat?”

  
“Whatever. I’m partial to fish but that’s never something any of my partners are able to carry around with them.”

  
“Carry around...?”

  
“We’re partners now. You’re gonna need me around so you can transform.”

  
“And you’ll just hide in my clothing?”

  
“Clothing. Backpack. Wherever. Haven’t you ever wanted to have superpowers?”

  
“Not particularly.” Kagami grimaces, “I already, unfortunately, have the ability to attract magic.” She sighs.

  
“That’s a super rare back in the olden days ability! It’s been a while since I had a partner who could do that. So with me, you’ll get a series of additional superpowers!” Kagami narrows her eyes at Roaar. “You’ll... also develop tiger-like tendencies, no cause for alarm.”

  
“No cause for—” Kagami takes a deep breath. If she takes too long in the restroom her mother might knock on the door. And sure enough, Kagami jumps when there’s a knock on the door.

  
She quickly washes her face and hands. She flinches when she looks in the mirror and sees her right eye is... _orange_. “Roaar?”

  
The kwami whistles. “T-That’s a new one.”

  
Kagami wordlessly opens the door and realizes the knocking is coming from the hotel’s front door. “Kagami, see who is at the door.”

  
“Yes, Okaasan.”

  
“She’s bossy, isn’t she?” Roaar whispers. The kwami hides in her jacket as Kagami opens the door. Kagami raises an eyebrow at the same man she saw downstairs earlier.

  
“H-Hello, I’m André Bourgeois.” He begins in English. “I own this hotel, and I am also the mayor of the city.”

  
“Is there something you needed...?” Kagami replies in English.

  
The smile slips off the man’s face then he clears his throat, “I cannot find any records of any conversation with Mme. Tsurugi.”

  
“You _what_? Are you calling me a liar?”

  
“No! Of course not!”

  
“He’s lying.” Roaar whispers.

  
Kagami’s eyes narrow as the man rattles off pitiful excuse after pitiful excuse. “Enough!” Tomoe stands. “If you don’t have relevant news _leave_!" The man flees without making a sound and Kagami closes the door.

  
Tomoe sits back down and takes her sunglasses off. “Something feels... off.” She lifts her head and Roaar ducks their head back in Kagami’s jacket. “I’m going to take a nap. Feel free to order whatever. The mayor is paying for it.”

  
“Are you comfortable there, Okaasan?”

  
“Surprisingly yes.”

  
“I will explore this hotel. I have my cellphone in case you require something.”

  
“Yes, yes.” Tomoe yawns. “Be careful. I don’t trust that mayor, and I do not trust this city. Even the _air_ feels foul.”

  
“I will be careful, Okaasan.” Kagami inclines her head then puts the keycard in her pocket.

  
Roaar rubs their paws together, “let’s get some grub.”

  
Kagami closes the door behind her then looks around, “why is my eye ... _orange_?” She hisses sagging against the door, “ _orange_ is not a natural eye color.”

  
“I-I don’t know! Do you have any ...eye conditions or anything?”

  
Kagami’s eyes widen, “shit. Eye issues are... hereditary in my family.” She pushes herself off the door then starts walking toward the stairway. Roaar, on her left shoulder, yawns.

  
“You know you’re gonna need the correct piercing right? To make sure the earring doesn’t fall off.”

  
Kagami sighs, “then I suppose that’s our first stop.”

  
“N-No, wait. We can get food first, right?”

  
🐞

  
André Bourgeois takes a deep breath watching the butterfly fly out of his tie then fly off. The purple ooze dissipates from his body returning him to normal. He flexes his right fist. So _that’s_ what Húdié’s power feels like? Surely the man is insane to think anyone would willingly part with this type of power just for some uncertain, undisclosed “handsome” reward?

  
What were those Miraculouses he was looking for again?

  
Ever since the divorce, he’s been staying at one of the luxury suites at Le Grand Paris. Not even in the penthouse suite of his own damn hotel because of Audrey.

  
André found himself enveloped in power after getting stuck in the elevator with a pregnant woman whose water broke right as the elevator broke down. And this was not even five minutes after getting yelled at by _The_ Tomoe Tsurugi. Wanting no part of what was about to unfold, Húdié got himself involved and changed André’s mind. With Húdié’s power, he was able to help safely deliver the baby and get them out of the elevator.

  
Being the mayor had its perks. _Everyone_ wanted to interview Húdié’s latest civilian superhero.

  
That power, though? Maybe not that _particular_ power. But the feeling overall? It was addicting. Felt even more powerful than being mayor!

  
When André returns to his suite he opens his laptop and looks up books on magic.

  
Perhaps he can stage a robbery so he can get a taste of that power again?

  
🐞

  
“Félix, are you ready?” Adrien bursts in the bedroom without waiting for a reply. His twin is laying on the bed, reading glasses on, writing on a notebook. “Félix!” Félix looks up from his book, “you aren’t ready!? The Louvre is supposed to be unveiling the sculpture dedicated to Vermilion Bug!”

  
“I _am_ ready.” Félix has a ladybug hair clip in his hair over his right ear. He puts a ladybug bookmark in his book then gets up from the bed. His jacket’s inner lining is polkadotted.

  
“W-W-Wh-Wha—?”

  
Félix chuckles, “a custom order.”

  
Adrien’s eyes widen, “ _it’s beautiful_.” He whispers.

  
“Yours is in the closet.”

  
Adrien runs over to Félix and hugs him briefly before routing through the closet and taking out the jacket similar to Félix’s; the only difference is Félix’s jacket is black and Adrien’s is red. “Do you think Vermilion Bug will show up?” Adrien asks shrugging the jacket on. It has a ladybug on the end of its zipper. “I mean, the whole city dedicated the day to her.”

  
“I’m fairly certain she has more important matters to attend to in both her civilian life and masked hero one.”

  
“More important than her own day of celebration? It’s like missing your birthday party!”

  
“I doubt crime will take the time off to accommodate her.”

  
Adrien sighs heavily, “yeah, you’re probably right.” He sighs again, “I really hope she shows up. Oh! I saw her swing past as I was leaving Sabine & Tom Boulangerie Pâtissèrie to pick up the croquembouche tower! Would it be called a tower—”

  
“I understand the hero worship, Adrien, but nothing could ever come of a relationship between a superhero and civilian.”

  
“I know!” Adrien sighs, hanging his head. Gasping, he snaps his head up. “I could just become a superhero!”

  
“And how on earth will you do _that_?”

  
“Húdié is always looking for civilians to help! If I become a superhero, even temporarily I can... I don’t know just be on a more leveled playing field with her.”

  
Félix affectionately ruffles Adrien’s hair, “you’re delusion is showing. Let’s head to the Louvre.”

  
Le Gorille drops the six of them off at The Louvre. Adrien didn’t even know Chloé and her mother were visiting, and as always their mother’s personal assistant, Nathalie, was in attendance. The museum’s newest lead curator, Zebediah Kubdel, is standing behind a podium in front of the building. “Today we are honoring our hero that needs no introduction. Vermilion Bug has changed all of our lives for the better whether we realized it or not.” Police Chief Raincomprix, standing beside the curator, folds his arms over his chest with a huff. “Amateur sculptor Théo Barbeau was generous enough to create this sculpture in Vermilion Bug’s likeness! And to donate it to us.”

  
Some of the other curators pull the large sheet down revealing a lifesize bronze sculpture of Vermilion Bug swinging her yo-yo overhead.

  
The crowd breaks out into raucous applause.

  
“M. Barbeau, how long did it take you to complete this sculpture?” The lead curator asks.

  
“Four months.” The crowd cheers. “And I’d dedicate another four months just to make sure I do our hero justice.”

  
Félix elbows Adrien with a grin, “sounds like you have some competition.”

  
“Any _real_ superfan of Vermilion Bug wouldn’t forget her antennas,” Adrien mutters.

  
Félix blinks then squints up at the sculpture. Huh. Vermilion Bug _does_ have antennas poking out of her head, doesn’t she? “Maybe they broke off during transport?” Adrien scoffs folding his arms over his chest.

  
“Any questions?” The sculptor asks.

  
When Adrien raises his hand Félix moves to stop him but the sculptor already points at him and acknowledges him. “You forgot Vermilion Bug’s antennas.”

  
The crowd stares at the blond before turning back to the sculpture and its sculptor. Félix facepalms as the sculptor’s cheeks begin to redden. “H-How could I have forgotten...!?” He puts his hands on his head, “I’m... I’m so _ashamed_! I call myself a fan and I forget something as significant as her antennas!?”

  
“There’s no harm done.”

  
“ _No harm done_!?” He cuts the curator off. _“No harm done_!?“ He repeats. “What if Vermilion Bug _saw_ this!? I-I can’t have something _imperfect_ connected to her. I-I need to melt it down and start over!”

  
“Why can’t you just _add_ the antennas?” Someone in the crowd asks.

  
An akuma flies into the sculptor’s sculpting tool. It wouldn’t be the first time Húdié sent an akuma to help calm a civilian down. Théo is just standing there with the purple butterfly mask outline over his face, then the mask’s outline turns black and the purplish-black ooze overtakes his body. As the ooze dissipates, Théo Barbeau is now bronze.

  
The crowd gasps.

  
“ _You think yourself a better fan than me, Adrien Graham de Vanily? Why don’t we find out just how much better you are!?_ ” He dashes toward Adrien and Félix steps in front of his brother. The crowd begins screaming when Félix gets turned into a bronze sculpture.

  
The screaming crowd begins running away. The black mask outline appears over his face, “ **no**! You’re not taking this power from me! Not yet!” Black translucent wings grow from his back. “Not until he pays!”

  
🐞

  
Húdié wipes the blood he coughed out with the back of his gloved hand. A corrupted akuma. The sculptor’s anger is too powerful to try and console. He can’t take the akuma out manually. Húdié closes his eyes. He has other akumas scouting around the city. But can’t risk another individual getting swept into the sculptor’s anger. No, he’s gonna need to unveil another Miraculous.

  
Question is, what would be the best to fight against the power of emotion? And _who_?

  
🐞

  
“All done. How do you like it?”

  
Rose Lavillant’s eyes widen as she looks at her reflection in the mirror. Her plain boring blonde hair is now decorated with pink, blue, purple, black, green, orange, red, and silver highlights. She squeals in delight. “ _I love it_!”

  
“Glad to hear it. You know, we get requests all the time for people wanting to go blonde. Don’t really get any natural blondes wanting to go any other route.”

  
The hairstylist moves the cape from around the blonde’s neck. “First time I dyed my hair myself my mamans fainted!”

  
Her hairstylist chuckles, “first time I dyed my hair? My maman asked why did I only do the tips?”

  
As Rose examines her reflection, running a hand through her hair, there’s a brilliant blue flash outside the shop. A few of the stylists all crowd the window and front door trying to see what became of the blue flash.

  
“Thank you so much M—I mean Luka.”

  
“Anytime. Hairstyling is just one of my artistic vices.”

  
Rose pays the woman at the front counter for her hair. Eventually, the other stylist lose interest when they don’t see anything of significance outside the shop windows, and return to their stations.

  
“Maybe it was a firework? I mean, people are probably setting them off early for New Years’.”

  
“Or Húdié sent out another akuma? I hear some dude went berserk at the Vermilion Bug sculpture unveiling.”

  
“Yeah, I heard that too. At the Louvre, right?”

  
“Lu, Jules is coming.”

  
“Oh yeah? Thanks” A tall purple-haired woman walks into the shop and stops dead in her tracks when she sees a blonde have a very well-timed hairflip showing off her multicolored hair. “Jules!” Luka runs over to the purple-haired woman embracing her. “How’d it go?”

  
The purple-haired woman sighs heavily, “every time the photographer tried getting a picture of me something would interrupt it.”

  
“He should change his advertising if he couldn’t take a decent picture of you.” Luka pats his baby sister on the shoulder, “I’m sorry, Jules.”

  
“Don’t be. You can’t take a decent picture either.”

  
“Yeah, well—Take care!” Luka says to the rainbow-haired woman who smiles brightly and utters a melodious “you too” before exiting the shop.

  
The purple-haired woman grabs her brother by the collar, “ _who? Was? That!?_ ” She hisses. Luka laughs.

  
Rose takes a picture of her hair to show her mamans and before she makes it to the stoplight she gets a video call. “ _It looks like a unicorn exploded on your head!_ ” Both Jordan and Syd squeeze into the camera as the former yells.

  
“That’s what I was going for!” Rose chirps.

  
“ _Rosie, if you love it. I love it. You look like a lit-up disco ball._ ” Jordan hands off the phone before walking out of the frame. “ _Don’t forget the groceries, My Little Floral Angel._ ”

  
“I won’t. Just have to stop by the tattoo parlor—”

  
“ _What!?_ ” Jordan yells, out of the camera’s sight.

  
“I’m not getting a tattoo, maman! I’m just gonna see about the piercing. I’ll be home in a little bit.”

  
“ _Love you._ ”

  
“Love you too.” As soon as Rose hangs up she bumps into an old woman. “I’m so sorry!”

  
“Oh no, Dear, it was all my fault. I should be watching where I’m going.”

  
Rose helps the woman situate herself. Did the light change? Where did this woman come from? “Do you need help?”

  
“That would be just wonderful. Thank you.” The woman holds onto Rose’s elbow, and unbeknownst to the blonde slips a small box into her jacket pocket. “Everybody is just so busy with themselves nowadays.” She pats Rose’s hand. “Thank you for being so kind. Giving a bit of your time for an old woman like me.”

  
“No problem.”

  
“I love your hair. It’s so sparkly.”

  
“Thank you!”

  
After the blonde helps her reach her destination, the old woman puts the key in the apartment building front door opening it. “It’s much harder to do these tests of character nowadays Fù, I sure hope you selected a worthy candidate in that young woman.”

  
Meanwhile, Rose makes it to the tattoo parlor to talk about getting a tongue ring. When she reaches in her pocket to grab her phone to show a picture of what she had in mind, she feels something triangular in her pocket. Furrowing her eyebrows, she ignores it for now and retrieves her phone showing the picture of the piercing.

  
“Yeah. We can do that here. I _love_ your hair! It’s like a unicorn spat you out!”

  
“Thanks!”

  
“I can give you a unicorn bauble but it’s probably best to do it when the swelling goes down. Did you want to make an appointment for the piercing?”

  
“Oh. Yes please.”

  
“We’re opened on New Year’s if you wanna start the new year off right.”

  
“That sounds like a great idea.”

  
After confirming the appointment, Rose takes the triangular object out of her pocket. “What’s this thing?” When she opens the triangular box there’s a bright light that coming from inside it. She quickly shuts the box before anyone can see and be blinded as well. Once her vision isn’t clouded with black dots, she starts walking. Wasn’t this... the light she saw at the shop earlier?

  
Rose all but runs to the restroom in the grocery store and opens the box. “You can open your eyes.” Blue eyes snap open and Rose stares in awe at a floating blue ...thingy smiling at her. “Greetings! I am Duusu, kwami of animation.”

  
“Huh?”

  
Duusu flies over to the door and locks it then flies back over to Rose. “I am a kwami. I am magic. I have been gifted to you.”

  
“Huh?”

  
“Perhaps your hair dye has sunk into your brain.” Duusu floats closer to Rose. “I am a kwami gifted to you. I will bestow you with great magical powers.”

  
“W-Why!?”

  
“‘W-Why?’ What a question! The Guardian has selected you!” Rose’s eyes widen, “you can be a hero. Just like Vermilion Bug.”

  
“S-So Vermilion Bug has one of you q-tip plushy things? Just, I’m guessing, a ladybug?”

  
“I am not a ‘q-tip plushy’ thing. I am the god of animation!” Duusu’s voice booms.

  
“You’re a plushy!” Rose squeals grabbing Duusu by the head and petting them.

  
“I-I— _Stop this at once_! I have powers beyond your mortal comprehen— _oh_. C-Can you itch that spot again?” Rose complies. “Ah yes, that feels marvelous.” Duusu wriggles from Rose’s grasp then clears their throat. “W-Where was I? Ah yes. The Guardian of the Chinese Miracle Box has selected you...”

  
“Rose.”

  
“...Rose, for my power. You seem to be quite an animated person meaning we should mesh well. To transform into a peafowl-themed superhero, simply say _Duusu, spread your feathers_ then to break transformation, simply say _Duusu, feathers lock_.”

  
“Why not just... ‘close your feathers?’”

  
“Blame the sages. In the olden times, all we had to say was _please transform me_ but then Miraculouses kept getting used for evil and we had to find a better way to stop that.”

  
Rose nods slowly, “now uh, who am I to... disagree with whoever but I don’t want to be a superhero! I don’t even wanna go back to university next week!” Duusu headbutts Rose. “Okay, okay!” She rubs her forehead, “but I can’t just transform in a grocery store restroom.”

  
🐞

  
Adrien’s running for his life from a statue person akuma who turned all his family and friends into statues. Even some of his fans valiantly albeit unnecessarily threw themselves in front of him.

  
He darts around the corner and hides behind a staircase. “Adrien! You have nowhere to run! You— _Hey, what the—_!?”

  
Adrien looks up from his hiding spot to see something blue kick the statue akuma sending him flying.

  
“Oh no! I’m so sorry!” Adrien blinks. It’s a... It’s a _peacock_. Everything is bright sparkly blue. From the catsuit with the peacock feather pattern, and also _actual_ peacock feathers? He can’t see their head from his angle so he tries to inch closer to get a look without giving his position away.

  
Adrien gets up then runs after the peacock as they run forward. Théo is unconscious on the floor. The peacock gasps, putting gloved hands to their... blue face. Adrien watches the akuma fly out of Théo’s body and he’s instantly covered in the purplish ooze and once it leaves his body he’s returned to normal.

  
Akumas can be bad...? _Great_.

  
The peacock turns around and jumps in surprise. “You scared me!”

  
“W-Wait a minute. Who are you?”

  
“I—Didn’t think of a name yet.” The peacock waves him off with the fan in their hands. “Anyway, I have to go. _Bye_!” Then they run off.

  
Adrien stares at the retreating form. “Wow. Another superhero.”


End file.
